Confederation of Autonomous Communities
The Confederation of Autonomous Communities (CAC) is fairly unique in Cildania. The CAC is a network of villages, towns, and cities mostly spread across north and central Ylrith province however some of it's member communities are located over the border in Akinawa. In 2256 there was a general strike across the northern municipalities of Ylrith in response to sweeping wage cuts, job losses and factory closures. The general strike lasted for five days and it's success led to thousands of workers defying the wishes of many union leaders and left politicans and occupying factories, farms, warehouses and supermarkets and taking control for themselves. At the same time a sympathetic police strike across the province led to many communities establishing their own militias accountable only to mass popular assemblies that spontaneously formed. Despite the panic in Cildania City and to a lesser extent amongst political leaders in Rimnek City the situation continued for twelve months with large chunks of the province running their own affairs, even to the extent of issuing their own Work Credits almost an alternative currency. The situation reached a head when the most militant communities and businesses in the region announced they would be withholding taxes to provincial and federal government. This lead to a historic deal between representatives of the more moderate rebels and the more progressive elements of Ylrith's administration. The C.A.C. Now Since then, the 'Confederation' has consisted of communities that control their own affairs through regular referenda and weekly or monthly popular assemblies, while most businesses are run by Democratic Workers Councils, the CAC runs it's own schools, clinics and other puplic services which are funded by the work credit system. Municipal councils still cover the areas and still provide services for those who require them, and the same goes for provincial and federal services, but the vast majority of the population in the relevent areas don't bother with them. The militias were disbanded and the official police forces moved back into the area. There are still a proportionately high number of anarchist and syndicalist individuals and organisations in the region, and a high amount of abstentionism from elections. When they do vote people tend to support the Mutualist Party of Cildania and other libertarian and socialist inclined groups. The Popular Assemblies The popular assemblies are the highest level of administration in the C.A.C. every unit or community of no more than 4,000 residents has an assembly, they meet whenever they feel they need to but no less than once a month. Membership is open to all adult residents of the community, though there is no compulsion to attend. They tend to be lively affairs and are often combined with social events involving lots of drinking, dancing, singing, eating and even fighting and horseplay. Attendence will generally be higher when there is a controvesial issue to discuss. The Kangaroo Courts A jokey name for a serious fucntion, as part of the settlement to allow the C.A.C. to continue it was agreed they would be allowed to run their own courts for all crimes except murder and sexual offences. The members of a Kangaroo court will be different for each case, and are normally chosen by random lottery of all those at the nearest popular assembly. Obviously individuals connected with a case are barred. The KCs can vote to kick a case up to the professional courts at any point. Many communities have experimented with resotrative justice and community service based punishments in combination with rehabilitation with mixed results. The Congress The C.A.C. has it's own 'Congress' an annual meeting that generally lasts a week, every autonomous community sends an accountable and recallable delegate to the Congress which is held every November in Pontmawr. The congress is often reported in the local and national media, and although political parties are barred from taking part, they especially leftwing and libertarian ones tend to have stalls outside and to issue statements about the various motions debated. Category:Cildania Category:Trade Unions and Economic Associations in Cildania